The Swan's Paradox
by MadrigalPrism
Summary: Sequel to Break These Chains! Three years have passed since Maleficent's defeat. The Fairytale World was left behind for Storybrooke. People are happy. Then why is there a danger lurking around the corner? Time is coming to an end in a world that's falling apart and a costly mistake will end in sacrifice.
1. Chapter 1

**I haven't seen much of Season 2 so whatever happens in this story is unrelated to anything going on in the series now.**

**Also unedited, all mistakes are mine and there are hundreds of them :P**

**Now! People have voted and I have listened. Here is the sequel to A Day Without/Break These Chains.**

* * *

A defeated Sheriff walked into the diner and sank into a booth. She folded her hands on the table before resting her head on them. Why was this so hard? It was just one question. It shouldn't be this hard. Emma sighed again, shaking her head. She felt stupid and ridiculous for fussing over something that probably wasn't even a big deal.

"Penny for your thoughts?" asked Ruby, pouring a cup of coffee. Her friend looked like she needed one.

Emma didn't raise her head at first. Muttering under her breath before she sat up, "Why isn't this easier?" The waitress gave her a questioning look causing Emma to growl in frustration. "I mean I've been living with her for three years now. Henry is eleven. We sleep in the same bed, eat dinner together and I can't do it."

Ruby raised an eyebrow, "What are you talking about, Ems?"

"I-" The sheriff began to say but then closed her mouth when she noticed the familiar brunette walk in. She sank further into the booth, trying to make herself invisible, but it was of no use. The mayor had already spotted her.

"Good, you're here," said Regina striding over to the table.

"Can I get you anything, Madame Mayor?" asked Ruby. She would have to speak to Emma about this problem later.

"No, I won't be staying long," replied the brunette. Ruby nodded and disappeared back behind the counter but not before casting another look at the sheriff. Something was up and she did not like being in the dark. Silently she watched the brief conversation between the two. It seemed the mayor didn't notice the unease coming from her partner. If she did, she made no indication of it. The waitress waited until Regina left before she plopped down in the booth across from Emma. "Alright, spill. Now."

Opening her mouth to say something, Emma found that not a single sound came out. How could she explained it if she couldn't even ask her partner? Sighing again the blonde reached into her pocket and pulled out a small velvet pouch. "If I show you this, you better swear not to tell anyone. I mean it, Ruby, no one can know."

Ruby nodded, "You have my word. What? I know how to keep a secret." She added when the sheriff gave her a disbelieving look.

Against her better judgment Emma handed the pouch over to her friend. The weight on her shoulders grew heavier. There was no way she could pull this off. Why had the idea even occurred to her? Wasn't it enough to have what she had already? Did she have to want more? "I'm an idiot," muttered Emma. Her words were drowned out when Ruby let out a surprised cry.

"Ems! You can't be serious!" Before Emma could even answer Ruby noticed, "You had it engraved?"

"Will you keep your voice down?"

* * *

Ruins filled the land. Mighty castles once stood here to rule over the kingdom but now they were nothing more than heaps of broken stone covered in dust and grass. Swords had turned to rust, beautiful shields now discarded to time were ugly and useless, and places fit for royalty were no more. Villages did not exist. Fires were extinguished. Food was scarce. People had left this place in search of new homes with fresh air and rich soil. None of them would ever find such a place. This world was a living death and people were dying.

Dried branches snapped beneath a heavy boot. Its owner barely noticed the sound and kept walking. Here there was no danger. At least not from wild animals. They no longer roamed in these parts. Here where once a beautiful forest stood. Its village would be just around the bend except all the wanderer would find would be ruins. The houses no longer stood, the ground was covered with ashes from the fire that roared through here, and the air was heavy with a thick fog. Yet it did not sway the wanderer from his path. Instead he traveled on. His mind set on a destination long destroyed. Inside of him a small bundle of hope existed.

This was his last chance. The world's last chance. Life's last chance.

* * *

It was past midnight when Madame Mayor returned home. A frown on her lips, frustration boiled inside of her, and a tiredness she hated settling into her bones. She hated coming home late now that she actually had someone waiting for her. It made the long evenings more tedious than they once were. Regina released a soft breath as she slipped out of her heels. Tempted to walk into her study for a glass of cider, she decided against it. She looked upstairs to find all the rooms dark. No surprise there. It was a school night for her son and her partner had an early shift at work.

Making her way into the kitchen she shook her head at the sight of the empty pizza box. While it should come as no surprise to her that Emma was hardly a cook, she had thought the sheriff would've noticed the food in the fridge she had prepared for them before hand. "Oh Emma," whispered the mayor with a small shake of her head yet there was a soft smile on her dark red lips.

Grabbing a cold slice of pizza Regina made her way upstairs unbuttoning her jacket while eating. She checked on Henry first who was fast asleep. He had grown over the last three years but he was still her little boy. Quietly walking to his bed she pulled the blanket up to his shoulders and kissed his forehead before leaving. So much had changed between them. While her past was no longer a secret and he had been right about her Henry still loved her to pieces. Their misadventure in the Fairy Tale World brought them closer together. She remembered how she nearly died, leaving her son all alone, in that world. If it hadn't been for Emma, the mayor doubt she would be here now.

Regina reached for the doorknob to their bedroom when magic danced across her fingertips. Quickly closing her hand she held it to her racing heart. Taking a deep breath, Regina slowly counted to three before opening her fist. The magic was gone but its appearance was enough to worry her. She still hadn't told anyone that she kept her magic since returning. Not even Emma knew. How was she supposed to bring that up in a conversation? 'Guess what, honey? I still have magic' The mayor shook her head. Magic brought on all of these problems for them and now that everyone thought it was out of their lives there wasn't a chance in hell she'd be the one to change that. For three years she had kept her magic under control. For three years she kept everyone in the dark in order to protect them. And it had been working. Until three months ago. The memory came back to her like it happened yesterday.

_Steam filled the bathroom. A still shivering Regina stepped out of the shower. This morning she had discovered a patch of frost covering her skin. Panic filled her as she raced into the bathroom. Something was causing her magic to act up. Heat killed the cold. It was one of the basic rules of elemental magic. So when she climbed into the shower she expected the hot water to work. Unfortunately, while the frost disappeared, her body refused to stop shaking.  
_

_When she looked at the mirror her reflection was hidden from the steam. Like many people she wiped her hand across the mirror's surface to see herself. That was when it happened. Lightning coated her palm, connected with the glass, and shattered it. A startled cry escaped her as she jumped back. Her heart was racing as she stared at her trembling hand. Brown eyes shifted to the ruined mirror. While part of her reflection stared back at her a strange dark wave crept over the surface. It moved like the waves of the ocean. Slowly she leaned closer to it, wondering, curious. Then a single shard felt from the wall and shattered against the sink. As her gaze traveled back to the mirror, the darkness had disappeared._

To this day she didn't have the slightest idea of what happened or what that strange darkness was. A few days after the incident she paid a visit to Gold, thinking perhaps the imp had an answer. Unfortunately he knew nothing of the situation and when he questioned her on the reasoning behind it her lie was something he didn't believe. He asked if magic had returned to Storybrooke. Regina answered with uncertainty simply because she didn't know.

Shaking the thoughts from her tired mind Regina examined her hands before she walked into their bedroom. The light from the hallway fell on the sleeping figure in bed causing her to take a few seconds to drink in the sight. There lying peacefully on her side with a hand rest on the opposite side of the bed was Emma. Her golden locks cascaded over her shoulder. Her face free from the stress of the day. A smile formed on dark red lips. Precious moments like these were the ones she locked away. There still were times when she thought they were make belief but when she was touched by the blonde, merely held onto her she knew the dream was real. Even now it was hard to believe the Evil Queen got her Happy Ending.

Being carefully not to wake Emma the mayor slipped out of her clothes and into bed. She thought sleep wouldn't come easy but when she was nestled against the warm body of her lover sleep swept her away.

* * *

The wanderer stopped at a large pile of burnt wood. Taking great care and time he began to remove pieces until the mount was no more. Underneath was nothing but ash and soil never meant to give crop ever again. He dropped to his knees and began to dig through the ash and dirt with his bare hands. It took time. His fingers tingled from being scraped against the raw earth. He pushed on, knowing what he wanted was buried here. Suddenly his fingers brushed against a smooth surface. Slowly he traced it, feeling the engravings under his skin. The wanderer threw dirt over his shoulders to get at the object faster. Then it lay bare before him.

Clutching it with great care he extracted it from the ground and rose to his feet. His smile went unseen for a hood covered his face. Blowing the remaining dirt off the top he began to read the ancient words. Around him the world was dark and cold and the fog added to its gloom. An unexpected light shined into this world. Its presence coming from the box. Slowly the lid was lifted up bathing the area in a rich golden color. Warmth touched the man's fingertips. How long had it been since he felt this kind of touch? He didn't know. But he knew what he was about to do.

Without hesitation he pried the lid from the box, granting the light full freedom. It wasn't, however, the light he was after. No he wanted the object the box was holding. Reaching inside he grasped it, the smooth surface felt foreign against his palm. Suddenly his body was being invaded by the light. The light grew, swallowing him whole. It blew the hood from his face as golden light poured from his eyes and mouth. The Wanderer stood motionlessly, shining like a beacon in the middle of the dead forest in a world long forgotten and abandoned to time.

* * *

**Dundundun! What in Heaven's blue cheese is going on here? Like it, love it, hate it? Let me know! Do try to remember this story doesn't follow the plot line of the show so naturally things will be different. Hopefully a good different seeing as how A Day Without and Break These Chains went. Anybody want me to continue?  
**


	2. Chapter 2

Spring brings with it a fresh start. Winter is washed away, the cold eases into a warmth everyone enjoys, and most important nature sprouts that which has been sleeping these long months. The town was making the best of this early season. People walked the streets with a smile and an extra spring in their step. All except for one. Regina's mind wasn't focused on the way the sun felt against her face or the smell of the early blooming flowers. Her thoughts were trapped on the bizarre dream she witnessed last night. The one that startled her awake in a cold sweat. It felt too real, hit too close to home for her to simply shrug away. She spent the remaining hours laying awake, staring at the ceiling, trying to decipher its meaning. Not even the comforting embrace of her blonde knight eased her tension.

Unable to concentrate much on work the brunette excused herself early for lunch although she had no intention of getting something to eat. What she needed was time and a quiet place to think. There was one destination that came to mind. It brought a faint smile to her lips when she thought of the cabin and the memories that came with it. As she walked towards her car Regina never noticed the silence surrounding her. Searching through her purse she was too caught in the moment to see how the world was standing still.

Suddenly a gust of wind moved through her. It left a lingering chill in her bones causing her to look up. It was then fear took hold of her. Brushing the dark locks from her face she saw her dream coming to life. Storybrooke was empty, its citizens were nowhere to be found. She was all alone. The fact was confirmed by what she was witnessing. It allowed fear to tighten its grip around her heart. Swallowing the lump in her throat she tried to move but her legs were trembling. Madame Mayor took a few breathes in a weak attempt to gain control over her body. Her grip tightened on the strap of her purse as she walked away from her car and towards the street. She couldn't be alone. She couldn't, could she?

"Henry?" she called out.

"Emma?" Her voice cracked, reminding her of how helpless and weak she was.

Her heels echoed in the vastness of her beloved town. A sound came from behind her. She couldn't identify what it was and when she turned around nothing greeted her. Beginning to feel uneasy Regina continued walking down the middle of the street. Brown eyes looked at the stores. Their windows were bare and inside the buildings were empty. It almost seemed as if nothing in this town existed in the first place. Uncertain of where she was going, but fully aware she was looking for another sign of life, Regina felt like someone was watching her.

Time was slipping her by or so she believed. When she looked at her watch, Regina found it had stopped working. The realization made her stop because it was impossible. Time is the one constant, the very thing that is unstoppable. No one had the power to control it. The longer she stared at the tiny arms, the more convinced she became that this was another dream. Had she fallen asleep at work? While she thought it was unlikely, perhaps it did happen. She was only human after all. Except that wasn't entirely true now was it?

Shaking the thought from her mind the mayor looked around her beloved town once more. The quietness would have been peaceful for a change if it didn't send an eerie chill down her spine. This wasn't right. She almost ran towards the police station. Emma had to be here. If there was any time to start believing in simple miracles it was now and she knew for a fact the White Knight, as her son called his birth mother, would never leave her. Of that she was convinced.

Regina practically yanked open the door to the police station and ran inside. Her footsteps echoed in the hall, hammering in the fact she was alone. When she reached the sheriff's office all that greeted her was an empty desk. No paperwork adorned the smooth surface, no phones, even the chair stood as still as a statue. Its emptiness appeared to mock her. Spinning on her heel she came face to face with a cloaked figure. Their sudden appearance caused her heart to skip several beats until she found herself coming into contact with the desk. The wood's cold touch gave her some footing. Her eyes narrowed at the figure, "Who are you?"

The figure, however, ignored her question. "Do you know what it's like to exist in a dying world?"

His voice didn't sound familiar to her. And his question made less sense to her than the sudden desertion of her town. "What have you done to everyone?"

"It was not I who brought this on," answered the cloaked man, "You're the paradox in this world, Regina. Did you ever think of the consequences your magic ushered into this world and the destruction you brought to your home?"

Regina frowned, "What are you talking about?"

"You feel it, don't you? You hear the chimes of time in your dreams."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Regina was unable to hide the anger from her voice. "Where is Emma? Where is my son?" Her anger allowed her to grow confident. She felt magic surging through her veins. Heat pooled in her fingertips, awaiting her command.

Before she could attack this stranger, color began to bleed from her vision. The town was transforming into a parallel world of black and white. Her anger subsided as she watched the yellows, browns, reds, and other colors peel away to reveal the blank canvas of the building. Her momentary daze fell away when she looked to the stranger once more. Suddenly she raised a hand, hovering in the center was a perfect fireball. Its heat radiated into the air and its bright flames stood out against the stark surroundings.

The figure didn't move or react to her display of power. To her, that meant he was someone from the Fairytale World and someone who was familiar with magic. How he got here was something she would find out later. Right now there were more important things to deal with.

Then it happened. A loud chime torn through Storybrooke. It shook the ground, caused the buildings to shake, and its sound was loud enough for Regina to release her magic. She clutched her ears in a desperate attempt to escape the shattering noise. When it passed she opened her mouth only to have another chime tear through the town. This time it cracked the building, threatening to rip it apart. As dust rained down from the ceiling, the mayor wasted no time in running out of the station.

Once on the street she came to a halt at the massive clock hanging in the sky. Transfixed by the sight of the large arms moving she failed to noticed the crack racing up the street. It grew in size, fully prepared to swallow the witch whole.

* * *

Emma walked into the station with a straw in between her lips and a plastic cup in her hand. The cool liquid was refreshing on this moderately warm day. She had plans on surprising her lover with lunch only to discover she wasn't in her office. The sheriff had questioned the secretary but was told Regina left earlier than usual. "Well there goes that plan," she muttered dropping the empty cup into the trash. As she walked towards her office she felt a sudden wave of heat pass by. Emma stopped and looked around. "Holy mother of-"

There hovering no more than three inches from her face was a fireball. One she hadn't seen since her little adventure in the Fairytale World. Carefully reaching out to touch the sphere, she was afraid it would burn her fingers. However at her touch the flames stilled and slowly it began to be covered by a strange substance. Without warning the fireball snapped free from its resting place. The sheriff's reflexes kicked in before it met the ground. As she caught it the brilliant hard orange sphere was still warm to the touch but that wasn't what surprised her. Playing out before her eyes was the silhouette of a woman running out of the station like it was on fire.

She didn't think twice as she chased after the silhouette. If magic was back in Storybrooke then it meant someone was actively using it. Honestly she didn't want to deal with it again. Last time she had almost lost everything that was dear to her heart. Emma raced outside, briefly blinded by the sun she lost sight of the silhouette. Then she caught the familiar outline. Her eyes narrowed at the sight. Could that be...

Green eyes noticed the car speeding towards where the faint silhouetted figure stood. It remained motionless as if it didn't see the car. Emma called out to the figure except they failed to hear her. Without thinking it over the sheriff ran through the parking lot, jumped over the bushes in her path, and tackled the silhouette out of the car's way.

What she expected was to go straight through as if the silhouette was a mere ghost or illusion. Except the next thing Emma Swan knew was she was lying on top of a very alive and very solid body. Looking down to see who she had just saved from being hit by a car she felt her heart close around her throat.

"Regina?"

Confused brown eyes looked up at the sheriff. _"You are a paradox," _echoed through the mayor's mind as her vision was assaulted by bursts of color. Suddenly her head felt like it was splitting in half. She could faintly make out the outline of the familiar blonde haired woman who shared her bed but she couldn't see anything. Then her world went black.

"Regina!"

* * *

Impatient fingers tapped against her elbow, the sheriff shifted her weight onto her other foot. She wanted answers. She wanted them now. Unable to question Regina, she was left with the only option of waiting for the doctor's report. As papers were shuffled back and forth, boxes checked off, signatures scribbled on, her patience was wearing thin. Green eyes shifted to the clock, the second hand was mocking her for it moved slower than usual. This was why she hated hospitals. They made everything uncomfortable, information was given out later than normal, and worse the wait times bordered on torture. "Doctor?" she asked when Doctor Whale came into view.

The man looked up from his charts puzzled. "Sheriff, um... I don't know what to tell you."

"Tell me what happened to her."

"Well," Doctor Whale turned back to the chart as if it could tell him the answer. He took a deep breath and slowly released it. "There's nothing wrong with her. Her blood work is normal, reflexes are normal, brain activity, everything we tested was normal. In fact she's in perfect health."

Disbelief went through her. "What?" the question came out as a whisper. Emma cleared her throat, trying to get some sense of authority back into her. "What do you mean? I saw what happened to her. It's like she was there one minute then she wasn't." However when she looked at the doctor she knew instantly it was pointless to question him further. He knew no more than she did.

"Emma?"

At the sound of her name the sheriff turned around to find her mother waiting. Concern written on her face. All the sheriff could do was offer a weak smile and shake her head. While Mary Margaret and Regina were still on uneven terms they had come to some understanding over the last three years. Their relationship was strained, more often than not they argued yet deep down they cared for the other's well being. She watched the doctor say something to her daughter before he left to check on other patients.

"Emma, what happened?" she asked gently reaching out to touch her daughter's arm.

Emma shook her head, "I don't know." Biting the bottom of her lip her mind raced for an answer that eluded her. "Regina disappeared."

The words took Mary Margaret back. "Do you mean like last time?"

"No, at least I don't think so." Emma sighed, "There was still a part of her here. It's like I could see her but no one else could. I don't think she even saw me. I- I..." Words failed her. She couldn't tell up from down in this situation and explaining it made it sound utterly ridiculous. "It's magic. It has to be," she added after a long minute passed.

The words concerned her mother. "Do you think Regina is using magic again?"

"She doesn't have a reason to."

"A witch never stops using her powers so willingly," came another voice. "If they can get it back at any price, they'll gladly pay."

* * *

**Have I confused you yet? Good, now go get the cookie. Be prepared for more twists, drama, and possible confusion (if you haven't noticed that already). Next update is gonna be Wednesday, possibly.  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**I lied. Early update! Get your confusion glasses on!**

* * *

Green eyes observed the woman seated at the large oak desk. The pen in her hand flew across the pages as the once large pile of paperwork was steadily being reduced to nothing. It had been three hours since Madame Mayor was checked out of the hospital. In typical Regina fashion, the woman insisted on returning to work even though the doctor told her to take the rest of the day off. It took some convincing but Emma finally managed to get her lover to agree to work from home. Emma, herself, didn't return to the station either. Whatever happened to Regina she worried it might occur again. This time without her around. She couldn't allow that to happen. And as she leaned against the door frame, Emma wondered who was coming after the former witch this time. She hated to admit it but she was afraid of losing the brunette. This time for good.

"You're staring again," spoke Regina without looking up. Once she would have been annoyed with someone watching her work but sometimes things change for the better. A soft smile was on her lips when she spoke her next words, "I already told you I'm fine."

"That doesn't stop me from worrying," replied Emma crossing her arms over her chest.

"You're worrying over nothing." Regina looked up from her paperwork and set her pen down. "I told you-"

"I know," interjected the blonde. "You don't remember what happened or how. And that's what worries me. What if it happens again? What if I lose you again? If you get send back I may not be able to follow you."

The mayor rose from her chair, "It won't stop you from trying." She walked towards her lover, "You're too stubborn to give up when everything tells you it's impossible." A gentle smile touched her lips, "Hey, it's going to be alright."

"What if-" started Emma only to be cut off by the soft touch of the brunette's hand against her cheek.

"Shhh, you know I'm not going anywhere without you." Brown locked onto green, "I promise you, Emma."

While Regina's words brought a wave of comfort to her, the sheriff couldn't shake the uneasy feeling surrounding her. Reaching up she placed her hand over the mayor's and leaned forward to touch their foreheads together. For now she would accept those words, for now she'd allow the worries to disappear, but in the back of her mind her thoughts continued searching for a way to protect the love of her life.

"I'm holding you to that promise," whispered Emma before she claimed apple red lips in a kiss. The remaining work was left unfinished that afternoon as the couple basked in their love, knowing together they could and would get through anything fate threw their way.

* * *

_She was in the forest. Around her feet lay gnarled branches obstructing the path once well walked. Looking around she saw dead trees blocking out the sky, no leaves decorated their branches instead the branches retreated towards the core of the tree in a desperate attempt to stay alive. She didn't have to guess for she knew this forest was dead. What was once luscious green had been reduced down to black skeletal remains. This was no longer her beloved forest. To make matters worse she didn't know what happened. How could a vibrant growing forest die out?_

_Treading with care the woman moved over the fallen branches. She made certain to avoid the dead moss from touching her boots. One slip felt like the forest would devour her. Death seemed hungry and these parts were starving for life. It was not safe. She continued walking, remembering with her mind's eye where the path once was. A light shined in the distance. Something told her to head towards it. There she would find the answers to the questions bothering her. Picking up the place the young witch pushed on until finally she passed through the light.  
_

_When the light faded she found herself amidst the ruins of a castle. At first she didn't recognize it then the memories of that fateful day came rushing back. A breath of fresh air flooded her lungs as she witnessed the battle against Maleficent play out. The way Ruby, Emma, and herself worked together in bringing the wicked witch down. How Emma's sword pierced the dragon's heart ushering in victory for the good. For once she felt a joy deep inside of her heart. She had done the right thing in helping Emma fight the good fight. Her path to redemption might be long but no longer was it impossible. That was until..._

_"Mother," the soft word fell from dark apple lips before she had a chance to stop them. When she looked up she found herself face to face with Cora just like back then. She tried to shake her head, to say this evil woman in front of her was dead, but she couldn't. Instead there was a sharp pain in her chest. She wanted to scream out at the slow agony worming its way through her body yet she remained frozen. Transfixed by the look of success on her mother's face, the knowledge of bringing this victory apart with tragedy fuel this woman on._

_Somehow she was able to look down to see her mother's hand deep inside of her chest. She felt the twist as cruel fingers tightened around her heart. Breathing became difficult or perhaps it had already stopped. The precious organ was slowing down, refusing to beat to a regular healthy rhythm. All she knew was the pain. Blinding hot white pain. Each second felt like an eternal hour. _

_Through her agony she noticed something out of place. Emma wasn't rushing towards her with a heartbreaking look on her beautiful face. Standing where her knight would have been was the cloaked stranger. How had he gotten here? Was he here even before she died the first time? Suddenly her mother disappeared. In her place stood the stranger with his hand thrust deep within her chest. She felt strong fingers closing around her heart. Powerless to stop him, Regina could only suffer as he pulled her heart from her chest._

_Collapsing to the ground she looked at the stranger to find not her heart in his hand but pure light. Each move she made throbbed in her body, pain assaulted her at each turn, as a heavy weight made its presence known on her chest. She tried to breath, but found no air passing through her lungs. A hand clutched her chest. This wasn't right. How... Why was this happening? Her gloved fingers dug into the fabric covering her chest, trying to find the missing part of her soul until she could no longer feel her own body. The pressure weighing on her disappeared, the pain faded away. Suddenly she felt nothing._

_The witch rose to her feet. Slowly, cautiously. Her cloak hugged her back only to fall away at her legs. It moved to a wind she never felt against her skin. The stranger across from her said nothing, informed her of nothing, instead he continued to hold the light. The light that Emma had given her. She raised a hand, reaching towards the light that was rightfully hers, to demand it back only to be startled at what she saw. Her hand was transparent. Her fingers disappeared against the surrounding ruins, shimmering ever so slightly the longer she looked at them. _

_"Impossible," said Regina, her voice no louder than a whisper. Holding her hands in front of her face she saw they weren't really there. Nothing of her was physical. Panic and anger rose in her, she raised her hand to throw a fireball at the stranger. Nothing appeared. Her anger turned into fear when she could no longer feel magic coursing through her veins. "What have you done?"_

_At first the cloaked stranger said nothing. He was silent for a long time that made Regina think she no longer had a voice. Then his answer came as a dreadful punch, "I'm mending the broken stream."  
_

_A hollow chuckle left her lips. She couldn't help it. "By killing me? My death is the answer? Is that what I'm meant to do: die constantly to fix some problem."_

_"No," the figure shook his head, "Your path has been difficult from the start. It was never meant to be this way." He walked towards the near invisible witch, "Devastating consequences were brought into this world when she gave you this. The dead are not meant to live on borrowed time."_

_Regina felt tears sting her eyes, "I wasn't supposed to have this happiness." The irony bit her. Oh how she should have known._

_"You were," the answer took her back, "It has always been what you deserved but not under these circumstances. Allow me to show you." He offered the witch his free hand._

_She hesitated. Knowing nothing of this man or what he was after and what he pulled from her chest should have been impossible, but she also knew she was defenseless. She had no magic. No chance of surviving whatever this was unless he wanted her to. She was trapped on his playing field. Something that did not go over well with the former queen. Reluctantly she placed her transparent hand on top of his. In a flash the battlefield vanished._

_When Regina opened her eyes the first thing she noticed was the dense fog. Taking a few steps away from the man she gasped at the world around her. "What is this place?" she was afraid of speaking louder than a whisper. Any sound might crack the stillness offered in this world where death appeared to rule._

_"My home," he answered. The sadness in his tone was apparent. "It's hard to recognize in this state. This had once been your home. Snow White's home, Widow Lucas's home, all of your homes."_

_Chocolate brown eyes widened at the words. She tore them away from the decay, the unasked question lay bare in her eyes for the man to answer. For once words failed the mighty witch. The explanation hammered in a fear never before felt by her and for once she felt the full guilt of not just her actions but everyone's and how they played a part in bringing this on.  
_

* * *

Enchanting green eyes stared at the dark ceiling. Outside the full moon hung high in the sky casting it's glow into the room. A gentle breeze pushed aside the curtains, filling the room with the fresh night air. The evening screamed peace yet in her mind alarming bells went off. She couldn't silence them no matter how hard she tried. Something was wrong. She had slipped out bed earlier to check on their son only to discover he was fast asleep. On his desk lay the book that had started it all. Emma had taken the book with her when she returned to the bedroom. Leafing through the pages she found the stories to be the same. Nothing had changed then why did the warning bells continue to ring?

Hours later Emma rolled onto her side, unconsciously reaching for her love. Her reaching hand was met with emptiness. She snapped awake, sleep far forgotten when she saw the empty side of the bed. Emma wasted no time in throwing the covers off and nearly stumbling out of bed. Racing through the house, her heart was pounding in her throat. Had Regina disappeared again? Had whatever was after her come to get her for good this time? Turning on every light she could find she shook off the brightness. Fear gripped her muscles as she pushed open the door to the study. Inside she let out a breath of relief.

"Regina, what are you doing here?" her voice still shook from the fright she experienced. Slowly she walked towards the brunette seated on the couch. "Hey, you okay? Emma's hand touched her lover's knee.

The mayor turned her gaze away from the book shelf at the touch. She found herself looking into the concerned warm green eyes. A gentle smile tugged at her lips. Lowering the glass from her cheek, Regina nodded, "I couldn't sleep."

Emma took the empty glass from her partner, placed it on the table, and held her hand. "Bad dream?"

"Something like it," replied Regina, interlacing their fingers. With her free hand she reached up to tuck a strand of blonde hair behind Emma's ear. Silently she admired the beautiful woman so concerned over her well being. Not wasting another minute and failing to hear the question, Regina leaned forward to capture soft lips. The kiss was slow at first as gentle lips were pressed together.

Regina's fingers became lost in long golden locks as she deepened the kiss. Refusing to let her lover pull away she began to pour all the love she had for the woman into the kiss. Bit by bit the coldness of the night faded from her body, the warmth turned into a searing hotness between their lips, and the nightmare vanished from her mind. When the kiss ended Regina grinned, "Shall we continue this upstairs?" she asked raising a perfect eyebrow.

* * *

"What do you know of disappearing magic?"

"Good morning to you too, Sheriff," greeted Mr. Gold. He went back to scanning his inventory list, pointedly ignoring the question.

Emma rolled her eyes at the shopkeeper's antics. "As I told you at the hospital, Regina is not doing magic. She no longer has it."

Mr. Gold arched an eyebrow, "Are you sure she isn't keeping it a secret from you?"

The sheriff bit back her snappy remark. "Why does it matter to you?"

Silence filled the shop for a moment before Mr. Gold smiled, "What can I do for you today, Sheriff Swan?"

The sudden change of topics didn't go unnoticed by the woman. She knew the trickster was still difficult to deal with and while he might have given up his powers, Emma had the feeling he wanted them back. If that was the case then he'd be willing to do anything to get them back. His words from the hospital echoed in her mind. Regina hadn't been the only one with magic but from what Emma knew her partner wasn't going into withdraws. "What do you know of disappearing magic?"

"Disappearing magic?" repeated Gold. "I know of spells that make things disappear or people. What specifically do you want?"

"Information on these things," stated Emma. She was convinced an answer lied with Gold's knowledge of magic. Opening her mouth to say more the ground suddenly shook.

Gold tightened his grip on the counter, waiting for the tremor to subside. "Are you certain she's not using magic?"

The sheriff said nothing, ignoring his accusing question as she raced out of his shop. The moment her feet touched the side walk another tremor vibrated through the town. This one stronger than the last. Emma looked around, witnessing the buildings shake and cracks beginning to appear. Something was very wrong. She raced down the street, avoiding the people rushing out of the stores. Many of them asked her questions but she had no answers for them. Alarm bells screamed in her mind, bringing with them a pounding headache. Instantly she knew Regina was in trouble.

Pulling out her cell phone she tried to dial her mother's number when the ground shifted beneath her feet. A large crack appeared forcing her to jump aside. In the process she lost her phone to the depths of the earth. She had no time to mourn for the little object for a loud chime torn through the town. Emma screamed, covering her ears with her hands as the chime vibrated through her bones, shaking her to her core.

Suddenly building were coming apart. Bits and pieces flew away, heading towards the sky. Slowly Emma rose to her feet, watching the town dissolve itself. It was then she noticed the large looming clock in the sky. It was there the pieces flocked to like moths to a flame. The street cracked behind her feet. She had enough time to jump back as a large chunk broke free and floated into the sky.

"Emma!" the child's cry brought her trance to an end. She turned to find Henry and Mary Margaret rushing towards her. Wasting no time in embracing her son, she scanned the crowd forming behind her for Regina. "What's going on?"

"I don't know. Where's Regina?"

Before anyone could answer a car shattered to pieces. The loud sound caused Emma to react by pushing her son and mother down while shielding both of them with her body. But the pieces never attacked them. When they looked up they found the shards hovering in the air. A shimmering forcefield held them at bay. Heels clicked against the ground. "Emma, get our son away from here."

It was a simple command yet the sheriff was frozen in place. Green eyes watched the mayor stalk past them, confidence radiated off of her. But it wasn't the ever powerful woman that startled her. No it was what was happening to her lover that glued Emma in place. With each step Regina changed, her appearance shifted between the mayor of Storybrooke and the Evil Queen of the Fairytale World. Then Emma saw it, magic danced along her hands, dark eyes shifted to a rich golden color. "You're using magic. Regina, what have you done?" yelled Emma over another loud chime.

Regina's appearance changed to her Fairytale counterpart in a flash. She chose to ignore the question as she threw up her arms ushering forth a forcefield. As the barrier was being erected Storybrooke's destruction came to a halt. Except she wasn't strong enough to hold the barrier in place for long. Looking over her shoulder Regina rolled her eyes, "Get out of here, Swan. Now!"

"Regina, I-"

"Go! My town is falling apart and you want to play twenty questions. Now isn't the time. I will find you, Emma." Regina pushed back the force pressing against the barrier. Her boots slid against the pavement, whatever was breaking her town down wasn't going to be held back for long.

"Mom!"

"Henry, I need you to go with your mother. Please," pleaded the witch.

The boy made a move to go to his mother but Mary Margaret held him back. The clock in the sky grew in size as it reined in chunks of the town. "She's right. We have to get out of here."

"Then go," said Emma. "Take Henry with you but I'm staying." Kneeling in front of their son she brushed his hair aside. "I need you to go with grandma. Can you do that for me?" He was reluctant she could tell by the way he was shifting his weight from foot to foot. Henry looked to his mother, who struggled with keeping the barrier up, then nodded.

"Keep her safe," he told his birth mother before hugging her. Emma nodded. Ever since they came back from the Fairytale World he had become protective of Regina and she couldn't blame him. He watched his mother die right before his eyes. It scared him. Hell, it still terrified her to this day. And it was an event neither of them wanted to relive.

Emma nodded to her mother, silently telling her to get to safety, then she turned on her heel. Her witch fought to hold up the barrier just to give the citizens enough time to escape. "How can I help?" she asked when she was by the brunette's side.

"You never listen!"

"It's what you love about me," countered Emma. Before their playful banter could continue a stronger chime torn through Storybrooke. This time it shattered the barrier Regina created and threw both women backwards. Regina somehow managed to stay on her feet. She recovered in time to see a lamp post flying in their direction. Summoning forth her magic she tossed the object aside and rushed to Emma's side. Helping the blonde to her feet she quickly guided them to the sidewalk. "Wanna tell me what's going on here?"

"I don't know," answered Regina. While it wasn't exactly the truth it wasn't a lie either. She had an idea of what was going on but she wasn't certain.

"How did you get your powers back?"

"Emma, we don't have the time for questions," snapped Regina watching the invading force tear apart another building of her town. She was pulled away from the destruction suddenly by a strong grip around her elbow and found herself face to face with a furious sheriff. "Fine, I've had them since we've come back."

"What?! You've had magic for three years and you didn't tell me?" yelled Emma, furious with her partner.

"There wasn't exactly a time to bring it up," countered the brunette. "I wasn't trying to hide it from you."

"You weren't making it obvious either, Regina. Dammit I thought you trusted me!"

"Now is not the time," stated the witch. She wasn't in the mood to get into an argument with Emma while her town was dissolving before their very eyes.

Emma frowned, "When will there be time?"

"Once we've fixed this," she gestured to the chaos surrounding them.

"If we knew what this was," muttered Emma.

The building behind them suddenly broke apart. The pieces hovered in the area before they were sucked towards the giant clock. Regina wasted no time in grabbing her lover's hand and running down the street. Powerlines rained down to the ground, the tension in them released. The witch blasted them aside. Soon the entire street had turned into a battlefield. She pulled Emma into an alleyway, waiting for another chime.

"You need to get out of here," said Regina, her voice soft yet defiant, "Go find Henry and your family."

"If you're asking me to-" started Emma only to be cut off.

"I'm not asking, I'm telling you," Regina looked to the clock, her eyes widened. "Get down." She nearly tackled the blonde to the ground, protecting her with her body as a blast ripped through the buildings around them. Debris rained down on them except the witch was faster as she held out her hand. It came to a sudden halt before she threw the debris into the street. "Go, you're not safe here."

"No, I'm not leaving you behind! Why won't you let me help you?" pleaded Emma.

"Because I'm not letting you get yourself killed. There's nothing you can do. Please, Emma, trust me."

Emma began to shake her head until Regina's hands pressed against her cheeks. Green met brown, tears began to sting her eyes. "Don't ask me to do this," she whispered. Her heart pounded in her chest as her fear slowly wormed its way into her mind. Flashes of Regina's death in the Fairytale World played out in her mind and she couldn't shake them away. "Regina."

"Let me protect you for a change," said the former queen with a smile before she kissed her beloved, "Now go. I'll always be with you."

Emma couldn't say anything as the love of her life ran out of the alleyway and into the street. She bit back tears as she went in the opposite direction. Her mind screamed at her to chase down the mayor, to help, to stand strong yet a small part of her knew Regina was right. There was nothing Emma could do. She had no magic, knew nothing of what was going on. Taking one last look over her shoulder she began to run through town. Her mind occupied with worry for Regina. She didn't know where she was heading, but home felt like a safe bet. It was where Mary Margaret would take Henry.

Unfortunately for Emma she never made it back to her son. An earth shattering chime brought her down to her knees, clutching her ears, pleading for the sound to end. The noise continued on until she found black spots invading her vision. Soon the darkness began to invade her body making it harder for her to move. Unable to get back to her feet, she whispered her lover's name. Around her the world was torn to pieces. Storybrooke could not be saved. A thousand questions raced through her mind before another chime erupted around her. The ground began to crack. Emma was helpless amongst the chaos.

"Remember me."

Those word silenced the world around her. She swore it was Regina's voice. Before she could think it over unconsciousness claimed her.

* * *

**What's with magic and people passing out? I mean seriously get a hazmat suit or whatever those things are called and give the finger to magic that makes you pass out. Cause it's not cool! Who wants longer chapters? I do, I do. Because the fun is just beginning!  
**


	4. Chapter 4

_Once upon a time there was a wicked queen. She was feared for her power was vast and cruel. She had plans to vanquish those against her by casting the ultimate curse. Until a valiant knight stood in her path. A charming prince with a warm soul and arms of steel. He fought against the queen, countering her magic with his blade. Together they became locked in an endless battle. Good versus evil. Chaos versus peace. They fought on for decades when the knight threw down his blade, calling a truce to their fight. At first the queen was cautious, thinking the knight a trickster. It was then a friendship was formed. The knight learned of the queen's pain. Wordlessly he carried her burden. Then they fell in love. _

_The people learned of the peace between their Knight and the Evil Queen. Furious they were when they learned of the love. They accused the queen of bewitching the knight. The people set out to save their knight but he was ever convinced of the queen's innocence. For he saw her in a way the people never could. He stood his ground, defending the queen. So they were left with no choice but to kill him, thinking they had released him from his prison. When the queen learned of her beloved's death, sorrow over took her. She sought revenge against the people but did not actively pursue it for the babe growing in her womb. Instead she ran deep into the forest. _

_There she found a cabin where she lived in quiet, mourning for her beloved's death until the day their child was born. A beautiful baby girl with the queen's hair and the knight's eyes. The union of knight and queen, good and evil. She was raised in seclusion, away from the angry people of the land. When the child was sixteen the queen left her. She made the girl promise her to do right, to fix the wrongs and to protect the innocent. One day when the time was right the queen would return, she swore it on her beloved's name.  
_

_Legends say of the queen being swallowed by the dark magic filling her heart. Others believe she went deeper into the forest to her death because her heart died on the day her knight did. No one knows of the truth but the people are convinced the Evil Queen no longer exists. As for her child, well now she'd be into her twenties. But no one has seen such a woman with ebony hair and enchanting green eyes. One thing everyone can agree on is that Knight and Queen have been reunited and their love is the reason the stars shine so bright._

The little boy's eyes widened as the tale came to an end. He stared at the woman telling him the story for some time. His mouth hanging open. Then he asked his question, "Is that true, sis? Is it really true?"

"Yes," smiled the young woman. She tucked a strand of dark locks behind her ear. "Now go to bed, Henry."

"What was the queen's name?" asked the child. He didn't want to go to sleep. Not just yet. This was his favorite bedtime story.

"Aren't you a little old to be asking me that? You know her name," said the woman still smiling warmly at her brother.

He shook his head playfully, "What's the queen's name?" he asked again.

"Queen Regina," answered the woman, although she did her best to hide her sadness her voice faltered a bit.

"Just like mom's," said Henry stifling a yawn.

"Just like mom's," repeated his sister softly. "Goodnight, Henry." Leaning forward she placed a gentle kiss on his forehead and pulled the blanket up to his shoulders, "Sweet dreams." After closing the door, the young woman's head dropped, defeated.

"Still telling him the same old fairytale?" The rich voice startled her but when she found her friend seated a chair by the fire the woman visibly relaxed. "He's eleven. Too old for bedtime stories, Gwendolyn."

The woman known as Gwendolyn sighed. Walking into the kitchen she filled two cups of water, dropped some herbs in, and joined her friend. When she set the cups down the water was steaming and the tea brewing. "Do you forget you were once a child, Eleanor?"

Her friend waved off the question. "How is he?" she asked, taking the warm cup of tea into her hands.

Gwendolyn scratched at the table, shaking her head. She wanted to say things were alright, that her brother was fine, that this was normal but she couldn't. It wasn't because she couldn't lie. Once she had been able to convince a dwarf the sand in her pouch was fairy dust from a fairy Godmother. Granted the sand was enchanted, but she was certain the elderly dwarf would have noticed with his expert eyes of mining the precious substance. She and Eleanor had gotten an entertaining afternoon that day when the sand caused mayhem among the fairies. "Henry's seeing things. Of another time and place."

"Visions like you?" questioned Eleanor, arching a perfect blonde eyebrow.

"No," Gwendolyn paused, "I don't know." She couldn't say anymore. At first she thought her brother had a bad dream. Children have bad dreams. Perhaps he had read too much of that book of his. Where he had gotten it she didn't know. But its title, _Once Upon A Time,_ was enough to make her blame it. So she shrugged it off. Then a second dream occurred, this one more vivid than the last. Last week the dreams had occurred every night to the point where it nearly drove her insane with fright. She took away her brother's book, hiding it with a simple spell and still he had nightmares. This was something she couldn't explain and that was what scared her the most.

Suddenly a soft hand touched hers, pulling her out of her thoughts. She looked up to find Eleanor's concerned eyes on her. "Hey, it's going to be okay."

She wanted to believe her best friend's words yet she couldn't. Too much of this troubled her. "You don't know that."

"I'll ask my mother about these dreams Henry's having. Maybe she knows something we don't."

"Are you sure? Your mother isn't very open to sharing her knowledge."

Eleanor grinned, "She has to. I'm the only one not scared of the Snaggletoothed Dragon."

* * *

_"Remember me."_

Eyes snapped open, the pupils dilated from the sudden brightness before slowly shifting back to normal. Two innocent words echoed through her mind as the woman sat up. Golden locks cascaded over her shoulder as she brought a hand to touch her forehead. She found her shirt to be drenched with sweat yet she couldn't remember what her dream was about. "Remember me," she whispered, feeling her throat tighten at the words, "Remember who?"

As she rose to her feet, her balance failed her. Images raced through her mind, hammering against her skull, and awakened a mystery she was unable to decipher. The blonde saw images of a foreign world: one with strange buildings, large box like objects rolling on four wheels, steel in stone, lights not made of fire. Suddenly a flash in her mind rendered her blind. She witnessed people flood the streets, their eyes trained on a large clock looming in the sky. The sight of it caused a shiver to race down her spine. Falling to her knees the woman witnessed a dark haired queen step before everyone. Fear was the farthest thing written on her face. Instead there was confidence shining in her eyes. This woman was determined to protect what was hers.

Suddenly the queen's eyes shifted to her. A spark of sadness made itself known in dark eyes. "Forgive me," spoke the queen in a rich melody. A tear ran down her cheek as she closed her eyes.

The blonde tried to reach out to the queen. She wanted to ease her sadness for reasons she didn't understand. Opening her mouth to say something a flash of light erased everything. When the brightness died down the woman found herself lying in an abandoned field. The image of the beautiful queen seemed etched into her mind.

"Who are you?" she whispered.

Hours later, she pulled her hood farther over her face. The woman made her way into the village. People moving about paid her hardly any attention and for that she was glad. She had enough things on her mind and worrying about being recognized was one of the last things she needed. Passing a fruit stand a graceful hand moved unseen to swipe an apple. Blending into the crowd she took a bite of the dark red apple. Its sweetness exploded her taste buds and as she chewed the fruit an image flashed before her eyes. Its sudden trigger froze her in place. People muttered their disapproval of someone blocking their path by standing as still as a statue. Unfortunately for them the words fell on deaf ears.

Ensnared by the image the hooded woman felt a shiver worm its way down her spine. When she came to, she looked at the apple as if she'd never seen anything like it before. Spinning on her heel she looked to the fruit vendor only to find it gone. "How-" Words were lost on her. She could have sworn there was a fruit stand there no less than five minutes ago. Gazing at the apple again it silently begged her to eat it whole. Somewhere deep in her mind a memory was unlocking itself. It would take time before its host knew of the contents it had to share. For now it could be patient. But not for long. Change stood on the horizon and things were about to get interesting for the inhabitants of this world.

* * *

The world was bathed in black and white. Splashes of color faded in and out, never lasting long. Stillness hovered among the destroyed buildings and for once the clock was silent. A ribbon of gold appeared, weaving a path through the vast land. Life did not exist here. No plants grew, no flowers bloomed, not even the sun shined. Yet it wasn't completely empty of life. Sharp heels clicked against the smooth stone ground as a figure walked out of the shadows. Pointed black boots came to a halt at the edge. Their heel added a few inches to the already tall woman. The boots ended just before the knee giving way to tight maroon pants. They hugged the curve of her waist aided by a belt. A black leather corset protected her stomach and back while a dark red custom breast plate protected her chest. The material traveled up to hide her neck, adding an extra layer of protection. Her left arm was covered by metal plating, descending in layers along her arm before giving way to a gauntlet glove with sharp armor fingertips. The other arm remained bare except for the leather wrapped around her forearm. Attached to her shoulders beneath the breast plate was a long black cloak. It swayed with the gentle breeze.

Long dark hair was tugged at lightly by the wind. The length had taken some time getting used to and now that it was free from any restrictions the woman appeared younger. Brown eyes looked down below at the ruins. Her heart sank at the sight. She tried so hard to be the protector for once. But it wasn't enough. The destruction of the city ended long ago now that nothing was left and a new world was growing, silently, steadily. It was hard not to witness the new creation yet it didn't stop her from mourning the amazing town that once stood. Her gaze shifted to look at the horizon where the clock loomed in the sky. Its ringing stopped decades ago, bathing this world in silence. At the edge of the city was the endless ocean. The one thing that remained constant. It caressed the sand with its waves, moving to a peaceful melody only it could hear.

Tearing her eyes away she turned to face the cloud filled sky. Rain was a rarity she found herself longing for in this deserted place. But there was something more than the rain she wished to see and feel. When she closed her eyes the image of a beautiful blonde haired woman appeared. Her enchanting green eyes sparkled as a smile lit up her face. The woman was happy, happier than she had ever seen her and that in turn made the witch happy. While her heart longed to be with the beloved who held her heart she knew she had done the right thing. This was how it was supposed to be.

Her curse was meant to fail. When it did chaos erupted between the warring sides. Good went on a killing spree to erase all evil in the Fairytale World. Evil defended itself but was backed into numerous corners. They became caged animals, wild and unpredictable. It added fuel to everyone's hatred. And worse everyone turned against her. It had been her curse that failed, it had been her fault good was on a righteous spree to end evil. She caused the suffering of so many people yet among the chaos and war she had found solid ground. A love more powerful than anything this world had ever seen.

The woman shook her head at the new memories, the memories she never got to live. Oh how the world had changed. Uncertain if she should like these changes or not, she jumped from the edge. The building stood over thirty feet tall, towering above everything. Wind rushed against her face as she angled her body to fall faster. Her cloak fluttered and beat at her back. The ground was fast approaching. Suddenly the woman flipped through the air. A shimmering blue bubble formed on the ground. She sank through the bubble to land on her feet before it vanished. A grin tugged at her lips. She loved the sharp adrenaline rush she got every time she took that leap.

The faintest noise rustled behind her. Instantly she spun on her heel, magic flaring to life in her hands, forming into a long fire sword. She brought it up just in time to clash against the transparent blade of her attacker. This time she grinned in earnest. "Where have you been?" she questioned her companion. Not giving him the time to response the witch pushed against his blade. The heat from the flames increased, sending off deadly sparks. Suddenly her force lessened as she twisted out of the way. With the aid of her magic she moved faster, becoming a blur before she appeared behind the man dealing a powerful kick to his back.

The attack sent him to the ground. Inches away from kissing the dust covered surface he managed to extend a hand to catch himself before using the momentum to roll back onto his feet. The motion was fluid. He rose to his full height, brushing some dirt off of his shoulder. "Sorry to keep you waiting, your majesty," said the man.

"That title is no longer mine," spoke the witch, a hint of sadness lingered in her voice.

"Once a title is given it can never be removed." The man tested his grip on the sword. Flicking his wrist he spun the blade around before catching it. "Do you miss this, Regina?" He gestured to the ruins around him. Nothing of them remained to tell anyone of what once stood. Both he and the witch opposite of him knew. And that was all that mattered.

The fire sword vanished. The witch allowed herself to relax and look around. In her mind she could still see Storybrooke. Her beloved town. She knew where each and every building, house, even every lamp post stood. And now to see it destroyed, it broke her heart. Unfortunately sacrifices must be made in order to preserve the future. "Perhaps," she shrugged coldly. "What of your world in your time? Do you miss it?"

The man, once a Wanderer, shook his head. "This is my world," he pointed to the clock where the surface shimmered. The numbers disappeared to reveal a vibrant, dense forest. It was flourishing under the warm rays of the sun. People were moving about their daily lives, trading goods, working the land. "Life exists here. People are no longer on the verge of extinction. The world is no longer dying. No, I don't miss my world because I've changed it. I've made the sacrifice to bring it to life."

"You had nothing to sacrifice for this," stated Regina.

"Perhaps," he agreed, "Are you still mad at me, Queen?" When he spoke the title, she knew he was mocking her.

"My happiness in return for your future. Tell me, Grimm, what happens in the world now that it's restored?"

"A new dawn," he told her before he attacked the witch with his blade trained on her neck.

* * *

**First person to guess who these two new witches belong to gets: *insert drum roll* Uh... I haven't decided yet. You get a special... gift... Yes, a special gift. AKA a bear hug from Maleficent the dragon! Who wants to hug a dragon?And before people say I'm being mean to Regina, I'm not. Honestly I'm not. I'm fixing things and she's one tough witch. I mean seriously she's a badass witch in badass armor who just summoned a fire sword. Wonder what else she's got that's new. Review and you'll get an update on Sunday cause I heard the Oscars are on  
**


	5. Chapter 5

A cup cut through the air. The rich warm liquid lingered in its newfound freedom before chasing after the object. It shattered instantly, shards went flying in every direction, leaving the tea to pool around it. Gwendolyn took a step back. Her heart began to race as her eyes shifted from milky white back to green. She swallowed the hard lump in her throat. Fear attempted to take hold of her but she was faster. Not bothering to clean up the broken tea cup she raced through the cabin. Grabbing a bag she began to pack what was of importance. There was little time to prepare. But they'd be alright with the little provisions she managed to stuff into the bag. She ran towards the front door only to have it swing open.

Henry froze when he saw his sister's panicked expression. "What's going on, Gwen?"

"We have to leave," stated the witch. "Go to your room, get whatever is most important to you, and hurry. We don't have much time."

"But-"

"Now, Henry," insisted Gwendolyn. Her mind raced when she looked to the window. Nothing moved in the forest except for a few branches. Good, they weren't here yet. Except it wouldn't be long now and she had to buy them some time to escape. Her thoughts were halted when Henry came out with empty hands. "We won't be coming back."

"Where's my book?" he asked. "We have to take it with us."

She wanted to ask him why it was so important to him, but decided against it. He had his reasons. In time he would tell her. Gwendolyn reached out to touch the wall. Her hand disappeared into the wood before she extracted the thick brown book. Wordlessly she handed it to him. Her eyes stared at the rustling outside. Danger was fast approaching them. Their home was no longer safe. Helping her brother put the book into his bag she made him put on his cloak. With a smile she ushered him outside, silently telling him not to say a word.

They were deep into the forest when an explosion echoed behind them. Turning around the siblings watched as fire traveled into the sky. It stayed there like a beacon for seconds before dying down. Now there was nothing left to return to. Gwendolyn's safety measure worked and she can't help feeling sad at knowing their home was destroyed. She offered her hand to Henry. He took it without question even though he was too old now to be holding hands with his sister. Yet the touch was their silent way to telling each other it's going to be alright.

"What did you see?" Henry broke the silence. The afternoon sun was beginning to slowly creep towards the horizon. Nightfall was hours away but both of them knew it's not time to rest.

"The king's men," answered the witch. There was no need to pretend with him. He would find out sooner or later about the bounty on both their heads. Henry was a smart kid and she had her suspicions he knew already.

"Why do they want to destroy all magic?"

Gwendolyn sighed, trying to come up with a simple explanation. Unfortunately there wasn't one. "Because magic took away the king's child. Magic almost killed his wife. And in his recent battle magic took his arm. The king has never looked kindly on magic. He sees it as an evil force invading his land. By blaming everything that is bad on magic it allows him to bring fear to his people. That fear allows them to find the courage to fight this war. Because if they kill everything and everyone connected to magic, the bad will stop destroying their land."

"But magic isn't evil. I've seen you use magic to save a man's life," said Henry.

"Yes, but they don't see it that way, Henry. All magic is evil even if someone tries to do good with it," said Gwendolyn, "There is no convincing them otherwise."

"It's not fair," muttered Henry, climbing over the rocky terrain. Gwendolyn said nothing. She cast a sad look behind her. There was no going back now. With a heavy heart she followed after her brother, knowing she had to keep him safe.

Night fell faster than they expected. While it gave them extra protection, it placed a limitation on their vision. She knew they had to find a safe place to camp for the night. Her brother wouldn't be able to walk for much longer. Even now she noticed his slowing pace. The poor boy was tired but refused to say anything. They passed the river not too long ago. Where there was water there was bound to be a village. Hopefully this one had an inn. Suddenly the witch stopped. Something wasn't right.

"Henry," she said softly.

Hearing his sister's tone, Henry immediately stopped walking. His body grew tense. Looking at her he began to speak only to be cut off when she held a finger to her lips. It was then Henry noticed it. The dreadful silence surrounding them. He could no longer hear the rushing river. Gazing around he noticed the sky was free of clouds, basking them with the presence of thousands of stars. It gave them a small bit of light but not enough to see what was stalking them. A sudden chill went down his spine. On nights like these crickets usually chirped unfortunately tonight was dead silent. He looked back at his sister and his eyes widened. "Gwen! Look out!" He pointed at the beast charging towards his sister.

Gwendolyn heard her brother scream and spun around. Just in time to see a large wolf leaping towards her, its teeth bare, and going straight for her throat. She reacted without hesitation by summoning her magic. Lightning answered her call, buzzing between her fingers, before she threw it at the beast. It hit the creature in the jaw, blasting it backwards. It met the ground with a painful howl. Gwendolyn looked back to her brother to witness a second wolf creep closer to him. Combining her hands she allowed the element to grow, to harness its raw power before she hurled it at the beast. The second wolf was thrown away before it could even touch Henry.

Henry's eyes widened at the attack. He quickly rushed to his sister's side. He hadn't heard the beast behind him. That's when the realization hit him, "Gwen, they're werewolves!"

She muttered a curse. Drawing her arm back she began to throw bolts of lightning in a circle around them. The magic didn't explode on contact instead it stuck in the ground like a spear. The element acted as a protective barrier for now and from its illumination the siblings discovered they were surrounded by a pack of wolves. Henry tried to hide behind his sister but it was of no use. There were wolves behind him too. He prayed the lightning fence would keep them at bay.

"What do we have here?" spoke a female voice. Stepping out from behind the pack was a young woman dressed in a red riding cloak. The hood covered most of her face but her feral grin could be seen in a haunting clarity. Brown boots adjusted their footing on the large rock as the woman crouched down exposing tight black pants. She smelled the air, "Hello Gwendolyn, it's been a long time."

The witch took a slight step forward, cautious of protecting her brother. "Red," she hissed, a fireball already coming to life in her hand.

"Ah," warned the shapeshifter, "I'm just here to talk."

"You mean like last time?"

"I was gentle," stated Red with a half shrug.

"What do you want?" Gwendolyn's patience was wearing thin. She was seconds away from instigating the first attack if the werewolf continued to toy with her.

* * *

A gloved hand rested against the tall tree as the figure looked down at the unfolding scene. Perched high on a branch the blonde woman's eyes were trained on the two figures surrounded by magic. Her eyes narrowed, trying to get a closer look but it was of no use. Reaching into her jacket she pulled out a picture burnt around the edges. This was all that was left in the ashes of a cabin. Once the troops moved on she did her own digging around only to find it. The picture was of the dark haired queen she had seen in her dreams. The one who desperately wanted her to remember. Except there was no name on the back. No writing. Nothing to give any indication of the mysterious woman's identity.

She jumped to another branch, keeping her balance as she tried to get closer. The werewolf pack might turn into a problem if she decided to crash this little party. Instead she chose to watch, for once. She knew whoever came out as the victor would be easy enough to dispatch. Her hand came to rest on the hilt of her broadsword. It was time to be patient.

* * *

"Henry, I want you to run when I tell you," whispered Gwendolyn. Her eyes locked onto golden ones.

"But-"

"Don't argue with me. You can't fight. But you can run." Her tone made it clear this wasn't up for discussion.

"I want to fight with you," protested Henry.

"With what?"

"I'll find something," the boy was determined to stay by his sister's side. Unfortunately Gwendolyn shook her head and he knew he had no chance of convincing her otherwise. "What happens if you don't come back?"

"I promise you I will. Ready?"

Henry had no time to say anything for the lightning fence around them exploded. It lashed out in every direction. Over the loud noise he heard his sister yell at him. He took off running, shielding his eyes from the brightness. He prayed he wouldn't trip as he increased his speed. The bag bounced against his back. Later he felt something slapped his face, he tried to brush it away but his hand met empty air. He kept running, never looking over his shoulder. While he worried for Gwendolyn's safety he also knew she would never break a promise him.

His foot got caught on something and it sent him to the ground with a hard thud. For a moment he saw white spots in his vision. Dazed he looked around to find himself back in the forest. Slowly climbing back to his feet he brushed the dirt off his clothes when something grabbed him and pulled him into a tree. He tried to scream but a gloved hand clamped down over his mouth. Suddenly everything went black. He felt himself being dragged somewhere. He tried to fight against the person who had him with no luck.

Orange light flooded his vision. He used the brightness to kick his attacker. Succeeding in catching them off guard he bolted across the little hall, pressing his back against the wall he looked at his kidnapper. "You're the knight!"

In the struggle the figure's hood came off revealing long blonde hair. The woman rubbed her leg where Henry had kicked her, muttering a curse under her breath. "What?"

"I know who you are," said Henry, his hand tightened on the bag. He was utterly convinced he knew who she was.

"If you know then it's obvious I'm no knight," stated the woman. "Listen, kid, I'm not going to hurt you."

Henry ignored her words, "You're the daughter of Snow White."

The woman stopped walking towards him. "How do you know that? I've never met you before." She had been keeping a low profile for years, convinced most of the people believed her to be dead. Emma Swan didn't want to be found after the incident at the castle, after what she had done.

Henry smiled, "Emma Swan, the White Knight, you're the one who's going to fix this."

* * *

She prayed her brother had heard her over the explosion. Gwendolyn wasted no time in leaping through the lightning and attacking the pack's leader. She came into contact with a warm body causing both of them to crash to the ground. Rolling to her feet she hurled a fireball at the woman. Red was faster through and the flames ignited the grass. Suddenly the wind left her body when a powerful kick connected with her stomach. She saw movement out of the corner of her eye and brought her arms up in time to block the punch. Ducking down the witch swiped her leg at her attacker.

Red flipped backwards, landed on her feet, and ran at the witch. Her eyes glowed a bright golden color. She leapt into the air, transforming into a wolf as she went for a direct attack. Her attack never connected for ice began to creep along her body. With a twist of her body she landed on the ground, shifting back to her human form and discovered her entire left arm encased in ice. Red let out a growl, "Gwendolyn!"

"Yes?"

The voice startled her. Red whipped around to find the witch behind her. An arrogant smile on her lips. Gwendolyn snapped her shoulder forward, her arms swinging a wooden staff. It hit the shapeshifter in the shoulder but Red stood her ground. Ignoring the pain, her hand closed around the staff. "Is that the best you've got?"

Gwendolyn leapt back, flipping through the air. When she landed she snapped her fingers. The ice on Red's arm exploded into large flowers. Pain tore through her body as the freezing element began to swallow her. At the same time the wooden staff burst into flames. Together the two element swirled around one another, forming a deadly hurricane of fire and ice. Both wrecked havoc on the shapeshifter's body. Gwendolyn didn't have time to admire her work for the rest of the pack was beginning to close in on her. Fire encased her hands as she slowly backed away, waiting, watching for the first attack.

Suddenly Red burst through the hurricane in her wolf form. Flames licked the tips of her beautiful fur while chunks of ice were embedded in the hair. She shook them free, growling at the witch. The beast snapped its jaws, hunger and anger mingled in its golden eyes. Gwendolyn flicked her hand to the side causing a stream of flames to shoot at the pack. While some of the wolves backed away, some tried to attack. The witch was faster as she brought a fire whip to life. It crackled through the air when it lashed at a wolf's snout. The beast yelped backing away at the pain.

Refusing to let the creatures surround her Gwendolyn snapped the whip again. This time it cut into the ground, igniting the grass, and causing large flames to lick at the air. The distraction brought her enough time to summon a second fire whip. However, this time, she flung it at the leader of the wolves. Red leapt out of the way only to witness the rope splitting into sections before closing around her. She was slammed to the ground. Reverting back to her human form, Red fought against the bindings, ignoring the fire licking at her skin and clothing. "You can't win against us," she told the witch. A grin on her lips as her pack surrounded the woman.

A large raven swooped down from the sky. When it landed behind Gwendolyn a burst of green flames flared to life, ushering the wolves away from the witch. Where the raven landed stood a brooding dark woman. Horns sprouted from her head as glowing green eyes ignited the darkness surrounding her. The raven reappeared on her shoulder as her features became clearer. A long golden staff was held by a delicate yet powerful hand. "The faithful mutt of Snow White," spoke the calm voice of the woman.

"Maleficent!" hissed Red. Her struggle against the fire rope increased. She knew they stood no chance against the powerful witch.

"You're a fool to come here alone," spoke the mistress of evil. "Your mutts will not harm a single witch in my kingdom." Raising her staff she waved it at the wolves. Instantly they turned to stone, frozen forever with fear at the appearance of Maleficent. Her attention returned to the pack's leader. "Now what to do with you?"

The ropes slacked around Red causing her to glance at Gwendolyn, but the witch made no indication of noticing. "You wouldn't dare kill me," said Red.

"Why? Would Snow bring her army to knock at my door?" mocked Maleficent, "By all means let her! Then we can finally end this war. You insolent fool, thinking us to be an evil you can just rid."

"We never started this war," countered Red as she wormed her hands free. Carefully slipping her hand into her pocket, "You know who started it. One of your friends and look at what they accomplished. Surrender to the White Kingdom and my queen may spare your life."

Maleficent laughed, "You are fools. The lot of you." Walking closer to the shapeshifter, Maleficent put a long finger to the bottom of Red's chin and tilted her head up. "Your king will never win. This inquisition has spilled enough of our blood. It's high time-"

Her words faded from Red's hearing as her hand closed around the stone in her pocket. Instantly she felt herself being sucked away, the world disappeared, the flames stopped burning into her skin, and began spinning around. As she came to she found herself in the warmth of familiar castle.

"Red!"

She looked up to find Snow rushing to her side. Red smiled before she passed out. Traveling back by summon stones was never pleasant for the werewolf.

* * *

**Look who's back! Let's get this party started! That's right Emma knows who she is so this is not a dream for anyone. I love the one review I got: 'What the hell is going on?!' It made me chuckle. All I have to say is stay for a while, pull up a chair, and enjoy unraveling this mystery with me. It might just be worth your time. I know I'm having fun.  
**


	6. Chapter 6

"Let me get this straight: that book tells how I'm going to fix," she paused as if to gesture at the world around them but decided against it, "this and end the war?"

Henry held the book to his chest and nodded, "This book holds the real version of events. Someone changed them and no one remembers. Not even you."

"How can you be so sure, kid?"

"Because I remember. We used to live in a town called Storybrooke. It was where the Evil Queen cursed everyone to and they didn't have any memory of it then either. Until you came along. Now this. It's the truth. This book-"

"Slow down," Emma held up a hand. She looked at the book he clutched, wondering if there was a connection between her dreams and the story he claimed was real. While none of this made sense and she had no reason to believe him, she'd be a fool not to admit there was something changing in the world. Someone was pulling the strings behind each of them, turning important people into puppets, and that hit close to home. "We have to get somewhere safe," said Emma, "Then we can talk about all of this."

"Do you believe?" asked Henry.

She paused for a moment, "No." To her surprise Henry smiled at her answer. "What?"

"You didn't believe me the first time around either," he said. "Where to, Emma?"

"What about your friend?"

"Her name is Gwendolyn and she's my sister. Somehow," the boy frowned at those words. He wasn't sure how she came to be or who her parents were. While he had his theories, he couldn't prove anything. That frustrated and confused him. "She'll be fine. Don't worry when I need her she'll find me."

* * *

Red bowed before the king, unable to meet his gaze, for she had failed. Her task was simple: capture Gwendolyn and her little brother. They, however, managed to escape. Had that witch not arrived there might not be an uneasy feeling settling in her stomach. Her knee began to hurt from resting against the hard ground yet she stayed still. She could smell the king's anger. It sent a shiver down her spine. This wasn't going to be good.

"What happened?" the voice was harsh and cold. A far cry from what it had once been.

"We were caught off guard when Maleficent showed up," explained the shapeshifter still not raising her gaze to meet the king's.

"I see," King James' frown deepened. "I'm disappointed in you, Red. My wife said you were the best and here I find you are nothing more than a pup."

"James," started Snow only to be cut off when her husband raised a hand.

The king rose to his feet, "They say when you want something done, do it yourself. Never get a woman involved in a man's affairs." He walked down the steps leading to his throne. A long brown fur coat trailed behind him. He paused when he was next to the shapeshifter. "When I come back with the witch's head, you better be far away from here. I have no use for failures." He never even looked at his wife as he left the large room, barking at a guard to ready his horse.

A tense silence hung in the room before Red slowly rose to her feet. Absently she pulled her red cloak tighter around her body. "He's changed, Snow," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't know how it happened," replied Snow, tears made their presence known in her eyes. Lightly shaking her head, her mind struggled to find the cause for her beloved husband's change. "Ever since-" She stopped, words failed her to this day. The incident at the castle was horrible, unspeakable, and now it tore her family apart.

"We have to fix this," stated Red. "What happened has passed, you need to get your husband back."

Snow's eyes were trained on the door for a long time before she turned to look at her best friend. "I don't know if we can save him." Once those words left her mouth the floodgates opened and the once beautiful queen was reduced down to tears. The shapeshifter stood there, watching her friend cry over the man that no longer existed. Her thoughts strayed to the young witch. Why had she eased her hold? Why had Gwendolyn allowed her to escape? More importantly why did James want her and her brother brought back alive? Never before had she questioned the decisions of her king but after seeing how drastically he changed, Red couldn't help wonder if someone else was whispering secrets to him.

* * *

He slammed into her with such force that it sucked the air from her lungs as she was thrown backwards. Meeting the wall at dangerous speeds brought dancing spots to her vision and rendered her lightheaded. The witch had little time to react for Grimm sent a shockwave at her. It connected with her body, slamming her into the building behind her. The magical attack brought the entire structure crumbling down upon the witch. Grimm smiled cockily as he straightened his stance. It had been a long time since he was able to test his skills against a true opponent. Now he relished in the battles they fought. He could feel his strength growing after each fight, whether he won or lost, it was irrelevant. All that mattered was staying here until time told them otherwise. This was their new home, their prison and paradise. Lowering his blade it vanished from his hand. This fight was over. He had won.

Turning on his heels he walked away until a light from below caught his attention. He froze in the middle of a pentagram. Red flames flared to life at the connecting points. Before Grimm had time to react the trap went off. A column of light encased him as the flames turned into a massive fire tornado. Heat burned at his clothes and skin, his scream was engulfed by the roaring element. It lasted but a second before the column exploded.

Beneath the pile of rubble Regina stirred. First a finger twitched before her hand closed into a fist. She saw darkness around her, felt the heavy weight pressing down on her, and knew where she was. The situation was familiar and she hated each second of it. Drawing upon her magic, her body acted as a conduit. Without warning she released the massive amount of energy. It blasted stone and metal off of her. Rising to her feet lightning danced over her body, rolling away from her shoulder, teasing her armor but never hurting her. Dark hair fluttered from the wind.

The witch looked up in time to see the column explode. A smile graced her dark apple red lips. "Such a fool," she brushed the dirt and dust from her shoulder. Stepping over the little remaining debris her boots clicked against the stone ground. As she continued walking magic pulsated through her hand. A spark of blue skirted across her palm.

Suddenly the wind picked up. It rushed past her sending her cloak flying forwards. Regina paused, looking up to the sky. Something wasn't right. She had no time to react. The massive clock began to move. The large hand fell forward one slot. It was enough to send a loud chime throughout the ruined city. The noise forced her to cover her ears but it wasn't enough to block out the shattering sound. Her knees trembled. Regina struggled to stay on her feet. Then everything froze. Unable to move her mind screamed at her to fight back. Was this Grimm's doing? It didn't feel like it. No this was someone else's power. Fate, perhaps? She didn't know. But what she did know was the last time she heard the chimes she lost everything she held dear. Panic gripped her heart. Henry was in danger. Then her thoughts fell upon the blonde savior, the very woman she tried to give up while being locked in this place. It was of no use. Nothing, not even fate, could removed Emma Swan from her heart.

Regina looked down to see darkness pooling around her feet. She tried to fight against it, to run away, but her body was still frozen. Helplessly she watched the strands lick over her legs and pull her in deeper. As she was being consumed she prayed her family was safe. It was the only thing that mattered in this new world.

When Grimm finally began to stir, his entire body felt like it was still on fire. His muscles protested against moving but he forced them too. Slowly he was able to turn his head to the side. There he witnessed the darkness taking hold of the witch. Suddenly darkness appeared around him. He felt its cooling touch on his burning skin. Its touch brought him the comfort he had been seeking. "And so it begins," he said to no one. Closing his eyes the man allowed himself to be swallowed whole.

* * *

A beautiful mirror gave off a small shimmer of light. Slowly it floated into the air catching the rays of the moonlight. The surface was blank until it turned to fully absorb the moon. A drop fell in the center causing a ripple to move through the glass. Suddenly an image appeared. A young king tore through the forest on his horse behind him five guards followed. A look of sheer determination on his face. There was no doubt this man was out to kill.

"Such an eager little man," spoke an unseen figure. They watched King James for a few more seconds before the mirror changed.

The most powerful witch in all the land paced back and forth in her castle. Her black robes trailed behind her as she held onto her staff. A troubled expression could only be seen in her eyes but her face was blank. Maleficent paid no attention to her guests. Not that her guests were keen on being including in her thoughts. Both were equally as troubled and lost in thoughts of their own.

The mirror started to shift again when a sudden crack appear. Whatever images it was going to show its master faded from view. The object fell to the ground, breaking farther and rendering it useless. The figure gave off a frustrated cry. No longer would he be able to watch the events in this world. Carefully he picked up the fragile mirror, examining it if there was a way to restore the only magic he had left. Suddenly an overwhelming smell of fire filled the dark little cavern.

"What's this?" spoke the man.

The floor cracked and shot up as though an invisible force moved beneath it. Yet its arrival did not scare the figure. Slowly he turned around, leaning on his wooden cane. Lightning crackled into the air from the hole, bringing with it a hurricane. An area once free from the harsh mountain air was now being overpowered by the howling wind. When the wind finally died down a hand shot out of the hole.

A large grin appeared on the figure's lips, "Hello, dearie."

"Rumpelstiltskin," nodded Grimm as he pulled himself out of the hole.

* * *

**Watch out! Rumpelstiltskin is working with Grimm. That is never a good sign. And James is a douche. I wonder what happened... Short update. I know, I'm sorry. I'll make it up to everyone with the next update on Wednesday. Am I giving everyone a good sequel or is this just crap?  
**


	7. Chapter 7

A fist pounded against the thick wooden door. The sky darkened as heavy rain filled clouds moved in. Soon the weather would pound on the small village and she had no intention of being caught outside. Resisting the urge to kick down the door, she raised her hand to knock again. This time louder than the last. At first there was nothing. Seconds away from issuing another knock a small window slid open. Beady eyes looked her up and down then shifted their attention to her shorter traveling companion.

"Password?" asked a gruff voice.

The woman rolled her eyes, "Seriously? I left this morning."

"Password?" the man insisted.

"The Phoenix will rise again," said the woman. "Now let us in before I break in the door down. This time I'm not going to care if you're behind it or not."

"Hold your horses, princess." The spyhole slammed shut. A heavy bolt was lifted up and pulled to the side. The heavy door swung open slightly, granting the two companions entrance to the warm interior.

Inside everyone stopped what they were doing to get a look at who was joining them. Some visibly relaxed after noticing the blonde while others remained tense. None of them went back to their conversation when they saw the boy. Emma gently touched his shoulder and guided him to a booth in the corner, "Come on, kid." She made no attempt to explain why she brought a newcomer to the tavern. A man moved closer only to be cut off when she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "Give me one reason not to knock you out right now," she growled.

The man, visibly shaken, managed to stand his ground, "Strangers are not welcomed here, Swan."

"Neither are the former doctors of Rumpelstiltskin," countered Emma, "But you don't see me butting into your business."

Whale held up his hands in surrender, "If they find us, it'll be on your head."

Emma said nothing as she released the man with a rough shove. She watched him back away slowly but not before he cast another look at the child she came in with. Looking around at the others they slowly ducked their heads and returned to their own matters. Some of the tension disappeared. Most knew the ranger wouldn't bring in a companion unless they were safe and of importance. The trust that Emma had built up over the years was holding strong, many refused to question her actions. Still she couldn't blame them for being cautious. These were dangerous times. It was doubtful things would be getting better anytime soon.

"They don't seem friendly," whispered Henry.

Before Emma could explain an elderly woman appeared at their table. She greeted them both with a warm smile. "They're just scared," she told him, placing two mugs of hot milk in front of them. "Don't pay them any attention. I'm sure Emma has her reasons for bringing you here."

"Thank you, Granny," nodded the ranger. "Could you make-"

"It's already been taken care of, dear. Now enjoy your milk before it gets cold." She gave Henry another warm smile before returning to her place behind the bar.

Emma's hand wrapped around the warm mug but she didn't say anything. Instead she took the opportunity to observe her young companion. There was something oddly familiar about him that she couldn't place. She was certain they had never met before yet she couldn't shake the feeling this child was important to her. How could that be? She didn't have any children of her own, no siblings, and no family until recently. Unfortunately her family was short lived due to...

"Is it safe to talk here?"

Henry's question brought her out of her thoughts. "Have we ever met before?" the question was out of her mouth before she had the chance to stop herself.

"You're my mom," said Henry, taking a sip from the milk to find it had hints of cinnamon and chocolate in it. "This is good."

The blonde, however, stared in shock at the child. His words echoing through her mind over and over again.

* * *

Regina was floating. Around her spun massive circles, not made of steel or stone but a foreign material. Her surroundings were bathed in gold, no land, no sky, nothing but liquid gold shimmered. Slowly the witch began to stir. She continued drifting down the spiral as if she was being pulled by an invisible force. Brown eyes didn't widen in surprise or shock. There was no panic or fear, for she had been here before. This time she could only wonder where it was taking her and what it would show her. Last time she discovered a sight more unbelievable than she had ever know. Its truth was confirmed by her heart and that somehow gave her the power to do what she had to do. Closing her eyes she allowed fate to pull her where she was needed. She didn't question, knowing that when she was back on solid ground a mission would begin.

The first thing she felt was sand. Next the sound of waves rolling in filled her ears. A spark of hope made itself known but she knew it was misplaced and quickly squashed the feeling. Opening her eyes she saw the dark sky above. Slowly rising to her feet the water sparkled behind her. It was calm here, peaceful even. That had been the first thing she noticed when she arrived in the beginning. Now she could only feel the dread seeping into her heart and nestling among her bones. A frown decorated her lips as she pulled her gaze away from the shore and to the looming buildings that awaited her presence.

She hated this world. She hated what it represented. And she hated herself for bringing it to life. It had been her actions that brought on this rift in time and opened a portal to another world. The curse started it and Maleficent's desperate grab at more power brought it into existence. They had always been warned: Magic comes with a price. But no one could have predicted this would be the outcome. Not even Rumpelstiltskin had known with his 'Dark One' powers. Ancient things are never meant to be played with like children's toys. Unfortunately that was a lesson only one magic user learned and Regina knew it was all on her to fix the current situation. If it meant she had to give up everything: her love, her son, her life, she'd do it in a heartbeat. This would be her redemption.

Climbing the stairs, much of her walk through the buildings was spent with her thoughts. She tried not to think of her son and lover but it was hard blocking them out when the world stood still around her. She paused before the last step and took a deep breath. Clearing her mind she finished the climb and was greeted by the familiar hall. Her expression was of stone as she walked past the statues. With the wave of a hand her magic pushed open the doors.

The grey buildings were washed away by the crystallized room. It gave off specks of light. The beautifully crafted stone room was magnificent except its beauty was lost on her. She had been in awe the first time. Now she struggled to still her racing heart. This place was like a rose. Beautiful and dangerous. It changed her life. It destroyed Storybrooke. Now? She didn't want to think what it would take from her.

Kneeling before the empty throne, Regina bowed her head. A hand rested over her heart, silently greeting the god who commanded her now.

* * *

"You do realize this sounds crazy," said Emma after listening to everything Henry had to tell her. He told her of this town called Storybrooke, how she became pregnant at nineteen and gave him up for adoption, how he ended up in the hands of Regina, who turned into her lover. He told of the curse breaking the first time. The fight they had with Maleficent, the family who adored her, the return to Storybrooke, and the future she apparently had planned.

His evidence was the book. Opening it she found everything he told her to be written inside. From the origins of them to the curse, life in Storybrooke, the battle of good and evil, everything. While she thought he memorized everything in the book she quickly learned he had details the pages didn't. He knew things only someone who experienced it could know. And that made him sound less crazy and more convincing. Still she found it hard to believe him. It wasn't that she didn't want to. It was more his story didn't match with her memories. Her life here was what she knew. How she grew up, how she got into her first fight, the reunion with parents who lost her, the incident that followed, the life on the run.

"You have to believe me," said Henry. He was determined to get his birth mother on his side. "Because I need your help."

"With what?"

"Finding my mom."

"I thought I was your mom."

Henry frowned, "My other mom. Your partner. Regina. Don't you remember her at all?"

"Listen, kid, I don't know what to tell you but-" Her words fell silent when Henry pulled out his necklace. He removed the silver chain and held it up. There dangling was a ring. Her ring.

"You were going to propose," stated Henry, "That's how much she meant to you. You never had relationships, you were afraid of them, hated being tied down. I know because you told me. But that changed when you started to fight for what you wanted. You fought for my mom even when she pushed you away. And I know somewhere deep down you miss her just as much as I do."

Slowly, with a trembling hand, Emma took the ring from his hand. She examined the object, feeling the tears welling up her eyes. Staring long and hard at it, feeling the cool stone warm against her fingertips, she turned it over. Green eyes fell on the inscription. Her breath caught in her throat. Suddenly a wave of images flashed through her mind. Pain hammered against her temples as the images increased their speed. Soon they were blurring together yet she could feel the floodgates opening. A flash of light brought everything to a halt.

Emma sucked in a sharp breath. Her racing heart knocked against her chest in a silent scream. How could she have forgotten? Wetness splashed against her hand and she realized she was crying. Looking at the boy, she saw not a stranger but her son, "Henry?" her voice was quiet, almost on the verge of breaking.

A large grin broke out on Henry's face, "You remember, don't you?"

She looked at her son and felt her heart breaking. This was the very thing she feared. She shouldn't have left Regina alone in Storybrooke. God, what was she thinking actually running away? Now the love of her life was gone to parts unknown. What's worse is Emma feared the former queen might not even remember them. How would she be able to convince her about them, about having a family? The mere thought of Regina not remembering them cause a lump to form in her throat. Her heart squeezed in pain at witnessing the scene play out. No, Emma shook her head. She refused to let that happen. "We have to find Regina," she said, determined to reunite this family.

Before they could start figuring out a plan the door to the tavern was kicked in. Grumpy was thrown back from his place beside the door. Outside the rain was coming down hard but no one paid much attention to the weather. Every patron reached for their weapon. Knowing a fight was seconds away, Emma slid out of the booth. Quickly putting the necklace around her neck, her hand came to rest on the pommel of her broadsword. She positioned herself in front of Henry. She swore to keep their son safe from the dangers of this now foreign world.

Heavy footsteps echoed off the wooden floor. Water dripped from the man's thick coat. He ran a gloved hand through his soaked hair before ghosted over his stubble covered cheeks. A wolf growled behind him. "I'm looking for the Fairy Godmother." When no one answered him he nodded to one of his companions. The large man picked up the heavy door with ease and placed back in its place. "No?"

"I suggest you leave," said Granny pulling her crossbow out from beneath the bar.

The man flashed a cocky grin, "Granny." He held out his arms but stopped halfway in his walk towards her when she put a finger on the trigger. "Come on, Granny, it's me. August." He knocked a hand against his head. "Made out of wood. Remember?" He let out a whistle when the elderly woman didn't back down, "Tough crowd," he whispered.

The wolf shifted into a beautiful tall woman. "We mean you no harm," spoke Anita, "But there is a friend of ours in need of help. A friend to both of us."

"Don't come any closer, hound," barked Granny. "I no longer trust your kind."

"Yet you are one of my kind," countered Anita.

"Whoa, whoa," interrupted August. "Put down the crossbow, Granny." He reached into his pouch and slowly pulled out his hand. In the center of his palm was a pink ball. Its glow faded in and out. Upon closer inspection they found it wasn't a ball but one of the fairies. "Nova needs medical attempt. Can you take us to the Fairy Godmother?"

The tiny fairy nodded weakly. She wanted to tell them that these two were safe, they were friends, but she was too weak. Her life was fading and fast. Struggling to hold on she reached out her tiny hand, pleading with her eyes.

* * *

Gwendolyn looked at the dark blob in the distance. The night blocked out the forest and traveling through it would be foolish. Her mind raced with ways to get out of here. While she wasn't being kept prisoner, she knew her aunt had no intention of letting her go. She had to get to Henry. He was all alone out there. For all she knew he could be in trouble right now. Perhaps even in the White Kingdom where the King planned on luring her into a trap. She knew if he had her brother she'd come willingly, almost blindly into his trap.

Rubbing her arms for comfort instead of warmth, the witch released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Tonight sleep would not come easy. Turning to head back inside the witch froze as a vision overcame her.

_A woman leapt towards two figures, transforming into a wolf. The beast landed in front of them with its teeth bare. Growling and snapping it forced them to stop, slowly backing them into a corner. From the left appeared a man, tall and handsome. In his hand he held a weapon, the blade unseen until he shifted to the side. The glass gave off a few reflections of light before blending back into its surroundings. _

_Words came from his mouth. Words she wasn't able to understand. She witnessed the man attack the woman only for his blow to fall short. Blood splattered to the ground. His mark missed. The transparent blade was now stained with innocent blood. Henry sank to his knees. He had jumped out from behind the blonde woman and taken the attack full on. Pain overwhelmed his small body yet on his face he showed utter determination. _

_"You'll never hurt her," he said as the blade left his shoulder. Struggling to breathe the young boy fell backwards. His strength fading as his life dangled on a thread._

"No!" screamed Gwendolyn. Her eyes returning from its milky white. She gripped the railing hard. Magic pulsated through her body sending a shockwave into the stone. Half of the railing blasted away, the stone rained down to the ground. Unable and unwilling to stop the tears from running down her face, the witch felt the death grip of helplessness take hold of her. She had to stop the vision from coming true. She had to save her brother. The man reappeared in her mind, filling her with rage. "Grimm," she whispered.

By the time Eleanor made it to her friend's room she was too late. Her fellow witch was long gone into the night, leaving not even a note behind.

* * *

**Oh snap! Gwendolyn knows Grimm! Grimm knows Gwendolyn! The Evil Queen is bowing to someone! Emma remembers! Henry always knew! And August is back! (That's a lot of exclamation marks) Let's get this party started! Someone make the popcorn. Review and the updates will come faster.  
**


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